Mrs. Riegel's Fourth Grade

Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to the last couple weeks…

In reading workshop we began our nonfiction unit. We started this unit discussing how grown-up nonfiction readers read differently. They make a commitment to learning from the text by making connections between what they already know and care about within the text. We also talked about how previewing the whole text and predicting how it might go can help us make connections. Understanding the different ways the text is organized, or text structure will also help us while reading nonfiction. Common text structures are problem/solution, compare/contrast, cause and effect, and chronological. Check out the chart below!

In writing workshop we learned how some writers get ideas for essays. It helps to think about a person and list some ideas about them then chose one idea to free write on. After thinking about people that matter to us, we came up with places and objects. We are working on coming up with meaningful ideas rather than fleeting thoughts.

We finished topic 5 in math this week. When we return from break we will have a day for review and will take our test on Tuesday. This topic is all about multiplication and strategies for how to multiply one digit by two and three digit numbers. The last lessons in the unit taught us how to use rounding to estimate our answers as well as how we can check our answers for reasonableness.

As you are aware, all fourth grade classes in the district were given chromebooks this year. We use our chromebooks daily. In writing workshop we use googledocs to draft our pieces. The students share their pieces with me so that I can see their progress and provide editing suggestions. We use seesaw as a digital learning portfolio, adding items that we would like our families to see. Google classroom is another tool that we use, and it allows me to create assignments for the students (i.e. reading response questions, quizzes, etc). After they finish an assignment they submit it so I can see how they do. We also use an app called “Let’s Recap”. It’s a video response and reflection app that allows me to see how students are learning. We are really loving the chromebooks!

In case you are not aware, all elementary schools are now serving breakfast. Let me know if you would like your child to get breakfast before coming to the classroom in the morning. You can read more about it here: http://www.bethlehemschools.org/elementary-school-breakfast-back/.

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving feast with our buddies this week! Thanks to all of those who helped make it possible!